Which side are you on – The NSA investigating using porn viewing habits to ruin reputations

The National Security Agency gathered records of porn-viewing habits and online sexual activity as part of a proposed plan to damage the reputation of a half-dozen Muslim men the agency suspected were radicalizing others through incendiary speeches, according to a report published Wednesday.

According to documents provided by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and reported by the Huffington Post, the program was designed to demonstrate how the “personal vulnerabilities” of the six “exemplars” could be dredged up through electronic surveillance and used to undermine a target’s credibility. Among the vulnerabilities identified in the October 3, 2012 document are “viewing sexually explicit material online” and “using sexually explicit persuasive language when communicating with inexperienced young girls.”

History tells us what happens when these actions are not reigned in. This is the battle for this generation – will authoritarian elites control us using the State or will the people still control the government?

It took 12 years from the first authoritarian tax acts in 1764 before war broke in 1776 and people had to make a choice the side of elite authority or of civil liberties. It took 15 years from the publication of Frederick Douglass’ book on living under authoritarian rule before the Civil War started. It took about 10 years from the Beer Hall Putsch of the authoritarian Nazis before Hitler controlled the government.

In each case, anyone paying attention knew where the country was headed. They knew that there was a rapidly approaching Manichean choice. In each case, citizens had to begin choosing sides for the coming social upheaval – go with the authoritarian elites or with those fighting for civil liberties.

I think history may well remark that Snowden’s release of NSA documents will occupy a similar role. We have to begin making our choices. I hope that realizing this now and working to effect those choices through the electoral process will be less harmful to society.

Because I firmly believe there are more Americans who detest the police state being examined by the NSA than feel it is okay.